Purposeful Empathy: Tapping Our Hidden Superpower for Personal, Organizational, and Social Change

Nowak (Rethinking Media Education, ed.), a professor of social entrepreneurship at McGill University, calls for an “empathy revolution” in this enlightening entry. Empathy is a “human superpower,” and though the author argues it’s in short supply in modern society, humans should harness it to live better lives. Doing so could involve identifying social issues one is passionate about, which activates “intrinsic motivation” that makes it easier to get involved in those areas, or pinpointing larger, global challenges to focus on. Also, it’s important to practice “self-empathy” (for example, honoring one’s boundaries) to prevent burnout. As well, Nowak suggests ways to create an empathic workplace culture, whether by working on listening skills or having leaders who reward empathetic behavior. The professional suggestions are sound, though they sit awkwardly next to the personal ones, flipping the book’s tone at points to something like that of a business manual. Readers who can look past this will appreciate the author’s earnest discussion of the individual’s power to effect change. Despite a few misses, this provides plenty of insight. (Apr)